Women's powers vie for NCAA title again

Women's powers vie for title againUConn 3-0 against Tennessee in finals

W.H. STICKNEY JR., Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle

Published 5:30 am, Tuesday, April 6, 2004

NEW ORLEANS -- Though arguments can be posed to the contrary, tonight's women's NCAA Tournament final between Connecticut and Tennessee is as it should be. These are the two most dominant programs in the game.

They fought it out last year for the championship, and Connecticut won 73-68. This season, the Huskies and coach Geno Auriemma are poised to join Tennessee as the only NCAA women's teams to win three consecutive championships. A Connecticut win at New Orleans Arena also would be the Huskies' sixth in a row against Tennessee.

Tennessee coach Pat Summitt said the idea of having to share the record with UConn is of little concern as she prepares her team for tonight's game.

"Obviously, that (being the first to win three in a row) was history for our program and then for the women's game," Summitt said Monday. "So going against Connecticut and they're going, obviously, to try and do that, to me that hasn't even been mentioned. (Tonight) is all about our team. For me, it's about helping this team.

"We're not thinking about, we have got to stop a streak. We're a team that wants to go out and play well and put ourselves in a position to win a national championship. So that will be our focus. It will be execution, not any record or any upset. It will just be about execution."

Tennessee (31-3) reached the final by winning its third two-point game in a row, beating LSU 52-50 on a last-second layup by LaToya Davis in Sunday's semifinals. Connecticut (30-4) advanced by holding off Minnesota 67-58.

Connecticut and Tennessee have met three times in the NCAA title game. The Huskies have won all three, including last year's game in Atlanta.

Summitt and the Lady Vols have won an NCAA-record six women's crowns. Connecticut can claim its fifth tonight.

"(In) three out of the four, we've beaten the team that everybody associates with the best program over the last 20-something years," Auriemma said. "So it's only fitting that (if) you want to win, that's who you've got to beat. And if they want to win? They've got to beat us."

Auriemma gave UConn its first national title in 1995 as the Hukies beat the the Lady Vols 70-64 at Minneapolis.

Tennessee claimed the next three in a row before Purdue won in 1999. Connecticut stormed back for its second title the following year, overwhelming Tennessee 71-52 at Philadelphia.

In 2002, Connecticut knocked off Oklahoma, the only Big 12 school to reach the final, to win its third title.

The Huskies lead the overall series with Tennessee 12-6. On Feb. 5, they won 81-64 at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tenn. That stopped a string of 11 consecutive victories by the Lady Vols, who were ranked No. 1.

"I thought our turnovers before halftime really put us in a hole," Summitt said. "And we never completely recovered.

"But you have to think about this Connecticut program. They have had a lot of great players and a lot of great teams as has Tennessee.

"But of late, they have definitely been the better team. A lot of people say there's no way you can compete with Connecticut (tonight). But I believe in this team. If this team will believe in themselves, I think that we'll have us a great basketball game."

Both coaches agree that despite outstanding talent in the backcourts of both squads -- Diana Taurasi for Connecticut and converted point guard Tasha Butts for Tennessee -- the game will be won or lost inside.

"Our post game has to step up," Summitt said. "I thought in Knoxville, they just really dominated our posts. And that right there has been a big part of (Connecticut's domination in the series)."

There may be those who feel another Connecticut-Tennessee matchup will be boring.

"This game, I don't think the past is going to affect this game at all," Taurasi said. "You have two teams that are focused and will go out and play hard for 40 minutes.

"If it comes down to one play, I don't think we'll be thinking about the last five games. I don't think (the past) really matters."